I’ve said many times this last year that quarantine was time we didn’t know we needed–almost as if God put humanity as a whole in time out. (“Go to your room and think about what you’ve done…”) As a society, we’ve been forced to pause and reckon with many of our institutional shortcomings (for example,Continue reading “time we didn’t know we needed”
Category Archives: life
kick-start your day
Buy a real alarm clock. Set it on the other side of the room. Turn off your phone before bed. Plug it in somewhere far away from where you sleep. Don’t turn it on again until you’ve been awake a while, until you’ve finished your first cup of coffee, written your morning pages, meditated–done whateverContinue reading “kick-start your day”
changing your tune
I’ve been a Bayside fan long enough to follow them through quite a few changes. While so many of their contemporaries have fallen by the wayside and disappeared from my music collection, I’ve stuck with Bayside because they’ve managed to grow alongside me, both musically and as individuals. With recent discussions about cancel culture andContinue reading “changing your tune”
gorging on forbidden fruit
In this age of colossal cinematic crossovers (thing such as The Avengers or Godzilla vs. Kong), perhaps the one that beats all the others is Austin Kleon’s appearance on Andy J. Pizza’s Creative Pep Talk. In a conversation that ranges from setting creative rules for yourself to following your disgust, my favorite bit came asContinue reading “gorging on forbidden fruit”
Obama on cultural appropriation
I just finished listening to Renegades: Born in the USA, a series of conversations between Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen, with topics ranging from race and gender to the myth of the road to fatherhood. As far as podcasts go, it counts among my favorites. There are a million and one things that struck me,Continue reading “Obama on cultural appropriation”
one bite at a time
I’ve been trying to practice being more present, to varying degrees of success. Lots of breathing and trying to center myself in my body. Single-tasking has been helpful when reading, writing, or watching TV, but I tried to take this a step further tonight. A few years back I remember hearing a priest give aContinue reading “one bite at a time”
the joy of not doing
A few years back, I decided to put myself on the hook and record music to send out with my Christmas cards. The first record came right after moving to California. I was alone in a strange city and only had my guitar to keep me company. The result was a few covers of songsContinue reading “the joy of not doing”
the importance of public space
I recently watch The Last Blockbuster on Netflix, which was both magnificent and a little bit sad. But more than anything, it made me think a lot about Jenny Odell’s reflections on public spaces in her book, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. Odell writes, “True public spaces, the most obvious examples beingContinue reading “the importance of public space”
inflection points
I’ve had a variety of creative pursuits: writing, drawing, music, photography. I’ve dabbled in a lot. But very few creative endeavors were much more than hobbies. It seems there’s always a roadblock when pursuing something creative, that hump that require practice to overcome. It’s the obstacle that separates the amateurs from the professionals. If you’reContinue reading “inflection points”
average
When I was in high school, I brought home a “C” on a report card. My dad was livid. “It’s fine,” I said. “C means average.” This launched him into a tirade about being average. “Are you content to be average?” he bellowed. “Do you want an average life?” The truth is, most of ourContinue reading “average”
